College football: Ten players to watch in the SEC

9:33 a.m. EST, April 2, 2012|By Matt Murschel, Orlando Sentinel

It only makes sense that some of the best players in the nation are playing in the SEC. I mean, a team from the conference has won the last six BCS National Championships, so with that logic, the league should be loaded with talent.

Buzz: The hopes and dreams of Volunteers fans – along with Derek Dooley’s job – will rest on the shoulders of Bray. The 6-foot-6, 210-pound signal caller struggled last season, partly due to a thumb injury that forced him to miss fives games, and Tennessee slumped to 5-7 missing out on a bowl game. If the Vols want to right the ship, they need Bray to have a stellar season.

Buzz: South Carolina had the No. 3 ranked defense in the country thanks in part to the play of Clowney, who has a freshman had 32 total tackles including 11 for a loss while finding his way into the backfield to pick up six sacks and five forced fumbles. He earned SEC Freshman of the Year honors and will be called upon to have a bigger sophomore season.

Buzz: Florida will need playmakers and Dunbar could serve in that role this season. The Miami native had 216 yards and two touchdowns on 14 catches but he struggled to live up to the potential that was put upon him during his arrival in Gainesville. That should change this season under new OC Brent Pease, who comes highly-regarded from Boise State.

Buzz: It won’t take long for Franklin to make an instant impact in the SEC. A dual-threat quarterback, Franklin had 3,846 total yards of offense for the Tigers last season, including 2,865 yards through the air and 981 on the ground. He finished with 36 total touchdowns, which was good enough for the third-most in school history.

Buzz: One of the most feared defenders in the SEC last season, Jones seemed to find his way to the football. He led the league with 13.5 sacks – including four against Florida – and was first in tackles for a loss with 19.5. His presence helped boost the Bulldogs to the third-best defense in the league behind Alabama and LSU.

Corey Lemonier, DE, Auburn

Buzz: Like Clowney, Lemonier made an instant impact with the Tigers as a freshman last season. The 6-foot-4, 240-pound lineman was second in the SEC – behind Jarvis Jones – with 10 sacks and fifth in the conference with 14 tackles for loss. His five forced fumbles tied him with Clowney for third overall in the league.

A.J. McCarron, QB, Alabama

Buzz: McCarron may not have been the flashiest of quarterbacks in the nation but you can’t argue with his results. During his first full season as a starter, the Alabama native threw for 2,634 yards and 16 touchdowns including completing 67 percent of his passes for 234 yards in the BCS National Championship game earning him MVP honors.

Zach Mettenberger, QB, LSU

Buzz: LSU came within a game of winning the national championship thanks in part to quarterbacks Jarrett Lee and Jordan Jefferson. Both are gone and the onus now falls on Mettenberger to pick up the slack for the Tigers offensively. A junior college transfer, Mettenberger has a better arm than his predecessors but only time will tell if he has their success.

Buzz: While he may have been overshadowed by the likes of Trent Richardson, Stacy was the third-best running back in the SEC last season. He rushed for a school-record 1,193 yards and 14 touchdowns to help the Commodores to a six win season and its first bowl appearance since the 2008 Music City Bowl.

Buzz: Wilson was the top quarterback for the top offensive team in the SEC last season, throwing for 3,422 yards and 22 touchdowns for the Razorbacks. He averaged 285.2 yards per game and was third in the league with a passer efficiency of 148.7. If Arkansas can reload its receivers, Wilson could have another stellar year.